Exercise: Filling a Croatia themed sketchbook spread (Patreon)

Hello everyone! 🤗☀️ It’s time for a new creative challenge! As you all know, we’ll be focusing on Croatia this month! For this week’s exer

Hello everyone! 🤗☀️

It’s time for a new creative challenge! As you all know, we’ll be focusing on Croatia this month! For this week’s exercise, we will create a sketchbook spread inspired by everything that makes Croatia unique.

Exercise 1: Gather your inspiration

Croatia has much to offer: historic cities, beautiful islands, and stunning nature. Your task is to find images that represent Croatia to you. Focus on for example landscapes, architecture, food, and nature. You can search online for photos, use travel blogs, or even find inspiration from your experiences if you’ve been there.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Landscapes: Think of the Dalmatian coast, Plitvice Lakes, or Paklenica National Park.

Architecture: For example the city walls of Dubrovnik, the ruins in Split, or little streets in Zagreb.

Culture and Food: Look at Croatian markets and traditional foods like Palačinka or the lavender fields found on the islands.

Tip! Find your references on Pinterest. Use specific search terms to find the right reference images. Use words like Croatia aesthetic, vibe, feeling, etc.

Exercise 2: Concept Sketch

Before diving into your spread, sketch out a few ideas first. You can create a collage of different elements that represent the country.

Exercise 3: Create

Now it's time to bring your spread to life! Use your favourite materials such as watercolour, ink, pencils, brush pens, watercolour, gouache, etc. Focus on capturing the feeling of Croatia. Experiment with textures and patterns to capture the unique atmosphere of the country.

I recommend creating a colour palette first before you fill in the sketches. Try to use a limited colour palette that reflects the country. For example, soft blues for the sea, warm yellows, and oranges for the architecture, and deep greens for the olive trees or vineyards.

Start filling your spread! Focus not on perfection, but on capturing the feeling. Give yourself the freedom to experiment and try new things.

Tips for making a spreadsheet:

Search on Pinterest for sketchbook spreads of Croatia for inspiration.

If you're feeling stuck, break the scene down into smaller, simpler shapes.

Try to capture the textures and patterns that define the country's character.

Use colours that reflect the landscape or architecture of your chosen country.

Draw the bigger references first. You can always fill the blank spaces with smaller illustrations such as lavender, seashells, or market goods.

Sharing your work

I'm so excited about what you guys will create with this exercise! If you want to, you can share them in our group chat: Creative Practice chat 🤗

I hope you like this exercise! Please let us know in the comments your ideas for your spread, so you can inspire each other 🤗

Celyn 🌸